Joint for a structural assembly



' April 5, 1966 J. GAROFOLA JOINT FOR A STRUCTURAL ASSEMBLY Filed Jan. 24, 1962 INVENTOR: LOUIS J. GAROFOLA WW &

ATTYS.

United States Patent 3,244,406 JOINT FOR A STRUCTURAL ASSEMBLY Louis J. Garofola, 1844 Point Breeze Ave., Philadelphia, Pa. Filed Jan. 24, 1962, Ser. No. 169,705 1 Claim. 01. 25621) The present invention relates broadly to an assembly of interconnected structural members. More particularly the invention relates to an improved joint for connecting the structural members to one another.

The present invention has particular application to wrought iron stairway railings and the like including the usual upper and lower spaced rail members and vertical risers connecting the rail members. Prior to the present invention, the vertical risers were usually connected to the rail members by means of a welded joint. Welding the members of a railing assembly usually requires that the rails and vertical risers be supported in the desired position relative to one another by for example clamps or a fixture for an extended period to allow the weld to take. Moreover the precise alignment of the members requires a certain amount of mechanical skill. Further there is the possibility that one or more joints will be broken if the railing is subjected to a sizeable jolt. The welded connection also detracts from the architectural appearance of the railing by reason of the bead which is formed during assembly of the members in this manner. In some instances the vertical risers are secured to the rail members by riveting or screw type fasteners. This method also requires support means for the members and a de gree of mechanical skill to insure proper alignment of the members.

In accordance with the present invention, a joint is provided for connecting the vertical risers between the rail members to provide a rigid assembly and one wherein the members are aligned precisely without the use of a weld, rivet or screw type fastener. In the present instance this is accomplished by forming tab projections at the outer ends of the vertical risers which are adapted to be received in spaced slotted openings in the rail members and which may be interlocked therewith to insure a rigid and firm joint. Additionally in accordance with the present invention, the end of the riser between the tab projections provides a support portion abutting the rail whereby the riser and rail members are aligned in a predetermined desired manner with respect to one another when the joint is secured. Accordingly it is apparent that structural members may be connected accurately with a joint in accordance with the present invention by a person having very little mechanical skill without employing support means such as clamps or fixtures to hold the members in place.

With the foregoing in mind it is an object of the pres ent invention to provide a joint for assembling structural members having novel features of construction and arrangement whereby the structural members may be secured rigidly to one another easily and quickly.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a joint for assembling structural members wherein the securing of the joint aligns the members in a desired manner with respect to one another.

Other objects of the present invention are hereinafter set forth and a detailed description of the features and details of the invention are described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a stairway railing wherein the structural members are connected by a joint in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 22 of FIG. 1;

" screw fasteners.

3,244,406 Patented Apr. 5, 1966 FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the terminal end portion of one of the vertical risers of the assembly of FIG. 1 made in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 of a second embodiment of vertical riser in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a channel member forming one of the rail members of the assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view partly in section illustrating the joint between the vertical riser and the channel member;

FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of the joint shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a bottom plan view of the second embodimelt of joint in accordance with the present invention; an

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the joint shown in FIG. 8 taken on line 99 of FIG. 8.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown an as sembly of structural members which are connected to one another by means of a joint in accordance with the present invention. The assembly illustrated in the drawings is a stairway railing comprising a pair of first structural members in the form of upper and lower rail members 10 and 12 respectively which are connected in spaced apart relation by means of second structural members in the form of vertical risers 14 and 15. In the present instance the upper and lower rail members 10 and 12 are U-shaped channel members rnade for example of metal comprising a web portion 17 having opposed planar faces and flanges 19 projecting from opposite side edges of the web portion 17. The rail members 10 and 12 are angled as at 21 and 23 respectively to provide a horizontal railing section 13 shown at the right-hand side of FIG. 1 to fit a landing and an inclined railing section 15 at the left-hand side of FIG. 1 to extend along the stairs. The upper rail is capped with a conventional banister rail 16 which may be secured thereto by means, for example, of

While the present invention is illustrated and described in connection with a stairway railing, it is of course to be understood that the invention has many other applications.

In accordance with the present invention, a joint is provided for connecting the vertical risers to the upper and lower rail members whereby the risers are secured firmly to the rail members and the rail members and risers are aligned in a desired manner with respect to one another. To this end the vertical risers 14 which in the present instance are made of tubular stock of rectangular cross section are provided with a pair of tabs or tongues 30 which in the present instance project from each opposite end thereof. In the present instance the tabs 30 are formed as an integral extension of confronting side walls 31, 31 of the riser 14 and form the male coupling element of the joint. The tabs 3% are engageable in spaced slotted openings 32, 32 extending transversely of the channel-shaped rails 10 and 12 thereby providing the female coupling element of the joint. In accordance with the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 3, 6 and 7, the tabs 30 are continuous and extend the full width of the riser.

In order to assemble the structural members described above, the tabs 30 are inserted through the openings 32, 32 in the inclined portion 12a of the bottom rail 12 so that the free ends thereof project beyond the bottom face 35 of the rail as illustrated in FIG. 6 and the bottom edge of the side wall 33 of the riser 14 intermediate the tabs abuts the top surface or face 39 of the rail 12. Thereafter the tabs 30 are bent outwardly against the bottom face 35 of the rail 12 and thereby rigidly secure the vertical riser thereto. The upper end of each riser is secured to the upper rail 10 in the same manner. In order to align the riser in parallel array with respect to one another in the inclined portion of the stairway railing, the bottom edge of the side wall 33 of the riser 14 is formed at an angle as at 43 as shown for example in FIG. 6. In this manner the end edge of the riser intermediate the tabs provides a support portion to insure that the riser and rail members are properly aligned as desired When assembled to one another.

Another embodiment of joint for structural assemblies in accordance with the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9. The joint shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 is illustrated in connection with the landing section 13 of the railing wherein the risers are disposed perpendicularly to the rail members. In accordance with this embodiment, risers 50 of rectangular cross section are provided with pairs of split tabs 52 which project longitudinally from two confronting side walls 53 of the riser and which as shown are formed as an integral extension of the risers. The riser 50 is adapted to be connected to the rail portion 12b of the rail 12 and to this end spaced slotted openings 56 are provided in the web portion 17 of the rail for receiving the tabs 52 therein.

In assembling the risers 50 to the rail member 1212, the tabs 52 are inserted through the openings 56 with the end edge 67 of the riser intermediate the pairs of tabs abutting the upper face of the web portion 17. In the present instance the end edge 67 extends prependicularly to the longitudinal axis of the riser to support the riser 50 at right angles to the rail 12b. Thereafter the tabs 52 are bent back against the lower face 35 of the web portion 17 as illustrated in FIG. 9 and splayed at their outer free ends as at 63 to wedge them together and against the flanges 17 of the rail member 12b thereby providing for a rigid and firm joint.

From the foregoing it is apparent that the present invention provides a joint for securing members of a structural assembly in a manner whereby the members are firmly and rigidly secured to one another and the desired alignment of the members with respect to one another may be achieved. It is noted that in accordance with the present invention, structural members may be joined firmly and rigidly without the use of screw fasteners or the like or a welded connection.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described herein, it is not intended to limit the invention and changes and modifications may be made therein the scope of the following claim.

I claim:

In a stairway railing comprising upper and lower rail members, each of said rail members having a web portion with opposed planar faces and a pair of side flanges projecting from opposite side edges of said web portion; means defining at least one pair of spaced parallel slotted openings in the web portion of each of said rail members and extending therethrough; and at least one riser extending between the rail members and secured thereto, said riser having a pair of split tabs projecting from each end thereof and defining therebetween a support surface, a pair of said tabs engaging through each of said slotted openings and being bent back against one planar face of said Web in firm surface engagement therewith, the support surface confronting and being supported on the opposite planar face of said web portion, the free ends of each pair of said tabs at each end of said riser being spread apart so that the confronting side edges of each of the pairs of tabs are in engagement and the side edges of the tabs opposite said confronting side edges engage the opposing side flanges projecting from opposite sides of the web portion of the rail member thereby to firmly lock the riser in predetermined angular position with respect to the rail members.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 899,173 9/1908 Linden et al 189-34 X 1,192,208 '7/1916 Kahn 189-34 X 2,042,353 5/ 1936 Morehouse 1893 6 2,056,123 9/1936 Herz 52-626 2,576,427 11/1951 Tomb 18936 2,909,237 10/1959 ODell 52636 X 2,976,018 3/ 1961 Dellagala 256--21 3,061,979 11/1962 Roof 52477 FOREIGN PATENTS 511,624 9/1920 France.

113,900 10/ 1900 Germany.

175,362 9/ 1906 Germany.

FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner.

JACOB L. NACKENOFF, Examiner. 

